November District Newsletter

​ ​ District Newsletter November | 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary ​ Welcome to November! Last month I shared some benefits we are seeing with all our Preschool and Kindergarten students together at Helke. This month I want to share what we are seeing in the reconfiguration with Demmitt. Similar to Helke, having the same grade levels of students allows our staff at Demmitt to put into place developmentally appropriate practices for these students at the primary level. Consistency, again, is the word. All of our first and second grade students are now using the same curriculum across the board which allows for more consistency. Our first and second grade teachers all plan together to provide consistent services for all of our students. This also allows our staff to implement consistent interventions, accelerations, and progress monitoring strategies for our students, which is providing for us a consistency in data for both grades. For those of you who don’t know, last year our District performed the highest it has in the Third Grade Reading State Test in 9 years. Demmitt’s performance on last year’s Ohio Third Grade Reading Test was one of the highest we have ever seen at that grade level. This can directly be attributed to the staff’s focus on consistent curriculum implementation. In fact, this has gained a little notoriety for the building, as a few schools in the region have reached out to Principal Martin to schedule a building visit and observe these practices. We expect this trend to continue at the first and second grade levels with this consistent focus on curriculum implementation and instruction for all of the students at those grade levels in the District. Congratulations to Mr. Martin and the Demmitt staff for this great work!   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ On a different note, I want to congratulate all of our fall teams for their accomplishments this season, but especially our girls’ soccer team on their incredible season making it to the state semifinals! Coach Rosenkranz, her staff, and these talented, hardworking girls have battled through so much these last three years and worked so hard together to make it to the state final four. They have set the standard for all of our teams to follow as we look to more accomplishments like this in the future for our Aviators. Success breeds success.    Last but not least, as you will see in this newsletter, our CFO/Treasurer Eric Beavers is retiring at the end of this school year. I would like to thank Mr. Beavers for his focus on keeping our finances in good order and supporting our efforts to provide the best education possible for our students. He has worked tirelessly with our administration and staff to always keep the focus on our students. He has worked very closely with our administration and staff, especially through the pandemic and these last few years of cost reductions, to make sure we could continue to protect classroom and extracurricular opportunities for our students. He has provided excellent services to the District for over a decade. As you will see in this newsletter, the Board is planning to hire Mr. Jordan Shumaker to succeed Mr. Beavers beginning July 1, 2025. Mr. Beavers’ early announcement of retirement will allow for a very smooth and very coordinated transition. We are lucky to have this transition period and the time to coordinate and plan. I am confident that this will lead to a very successful transition for Mr. Shumaker.   In a month where we are mindful of being grateful, on behalf of the Board and our administration and staff, I want you all to know how thankful we are for this community and this District! I hope you and your family enjoy a restful holiday this Thanksgiving! God bless you all! We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ In Our District ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Treasurer's Department Update ​ Pending Board of Education approval at the November 19, 2024 regular business meeting, Vandalia-Butler City Schools announces the appointment of Jordan Shumaker as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer beginning July 1, 2025. Shumaker will succeed current Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers who recently announced his retirement after thirty years of public service, including eleven years with the District. To read the full statement, click here. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Halloween in our District ​ It was all treats and no tricks as students and staff enjoyed Halloween throughout the District. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Veterans Day ​ Our entire District celebrated and honored Veterans Day. Emphasis was placed on learning about the history of Veterans Day and what makes Veterans Day different from Memorial Day. Thank you to all who serve or have served to protect our freedom! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ First Quarter Academic Recognition ​ Congratulations to our students at Smith, Morton and Butler for their academic achievements during the first quarter. To view the lists, click the following: Butler Morton Smith ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Regional Champions ​ The girls soccer team made history as they clinched the OHSAA Division III Regional title and qualified for the program's first appearance at the OHSAA State Tournament. Congratulations on being recognized as one of the state's top four teams! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Drama Department Presents... ​ Deadline by Don Zolidis. A comedy murder mystery...about the play: When eight mystery writers arrive at a legendary writer's fog shrouded island mansion in the north Atlantic, they think they're ready for the Deadline Challenge, 24 hours to write as much of their new novel as possible. In reality, the writers are brought together to solve a murder. Who will win? Who will die? Who will survive the Deadline? Dates: November 22 & 23 at 8pm | November 24 at 3pm Location: Butler Performing Arts Theater Tickets: All Tickets are $10 each. Tickets will be available for purchase in advance using this link, or cash at the door on the night of the show. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ParentSquare ​ The District will communicate information, including any weather-related delay or closure notifications, to families through ParentSquare. It is important to keep contact information updated. To make any email or phone number changes, please contact your child's school. District ParentSquare Contact: Mary Stephens, PR & Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com 937-415-6409 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Board Briefs ​ ​ ​ ​ The Board of Education met for a regular business meeting on October 15. To view the agenda, click here. ​ ​ ​ ​ Superintendent Update ​ Superintendent O'Leary invited students to share "happenings" from their respective schools, and recognized several organizations for their contributions to our District. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ High School Happenings ​ Olivia, Ratee, and Aubree from the BHS Octagon Club shared about volunteering at Butler Township's Party in the Park where they worked with children at the pumpkin painting station. They also shared many school highlights that included over 700 in attendance at the Homecoming Dance, they recapped the District Pep Assembly and Homecoming Parade, and shared that over forty students were inducted into the National Honor Society. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Middle School Happenings ​ Lucy and Austin represented Morton Middle School and shared school updates including information about Morton's popular fishing club, the volleyball team's success and tournament advancement, life skills classes, and quarterly incentives. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Meeting Summary ​ Treasurer/CFO: Financial Consent Agenda Personnel: Personnel Consent Agenda Student Services: Agreement with Miami County ESC for student services Board Activity: Adoption of new/revised board policies Approval of Board retreat Approval of Resignation for Retirement of Eric Beavers, Treasurer/CFO ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Mark Your Calendars ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar events are also listed on our website. Visit our district calendar hub here. November 11 | Veterans Day November 20 | One More Time Concert; 7pm @ SAC November 22-24 | BHS Fall Play November 27 | Conference Day; No School November 28-29 | Thanksgiving Break ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ We are Aviators! ​ ​ ​ ​ 500 S. Dixie Drive Vandalia, OH 45377 937-415-6400 ​ ​ ​ ​ Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​ ​

Friday, Nov 15 2024

October District Newsletter

​ ​ District Newsletter October | 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary ​ For about a year and a half, the main topic of my monthly newsletter columns has been about decisions we were making in order to implement cost reductions while protecting staffing and programs for our students. In doing so, we communicated what these plans would be, how they would look, how they helped with funding, etc., especially with the new calendar and reconfiguration. Now, I would like to focus on some of the changes, how they are being implemented, and how they are actually benefiting our students, particularly the reconfiguration. Over the next several months I will share information about the changes at Helke, Demmitt and Smith. This month, the highlight will be at Helke, which is now where the journey begins for our Aviators in Preschool and Kindergarten.    Helke staff has shared that having all Kindergarten students in the same building allows to better balance classrooms as class rosters were being built, which helped to serve the needs of our students better with interventions. With the new calendar move, screening was completed before students started which allowed for Title 1 intervention program lists immediately. Title lists were developed the day screening ended which has never been accomplished so quickly. This also helped staff more efficiently schedule these services around the classroom schedules, and they were able to start providing services the second week of school. Normally, it would be 3-4 weeks before all the data was collected, meetings with parents were held, and interventions started. ​ ​ ​ ​ Bringing all of our Kindergarten teachers together has ensured consistency of planning, as all Kindergarten teachers plan together daily. Perhaps the most beneficial piece is having our Kindergarten and Preschool together as the only grade levels in the building. This has led to consistency of services as our Kindergarten and Preschool staff can easily communicate, which has been beneficial for academic and behavioral support. It has also allowed for more efficient staffing with some shared staffing trained specifically in early learning.    Finally, this new configuration has helped us target appropriate academic programs for our students in preschool and kindergarten. The new grade level alignment allows students to enjoy more assemblies together with a targeted age band, rather than K-3 where many presenters were either presenting material that felt too old or too young. We are also better targeting other programs such as Passport to Safety, for instance, where we can take more time teaching our students over several weeks with the assistance of our local fire and police departments. Having students in kindergarten for the full day allows more time to immerse students in language and literacy while being able to take more time for social and behavioral development. We look forward to seeing the results of all of this over time. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Next month, I will share some of the changes and impacts at Demmitt. It’s a great time to be an Aviator! God bless you all! We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ In Our District ​ ​ ​ ​ It's Homecoming Week! ​ Thursday, October 10 - Homecoming Parade and Powder Puff The parade begins at 6:00 pm and will start at the corner of Helke and National Road. The parade will travel east on National Road, turn right to travel south on Dixie Drive and end at the high school. The powder puff game will begin after the parade route is complete. Friday, October 11 - District Pep Assembly Wear your Purple and Gold! The district pep assembly is an annual tradition where all students from kindergarten through twelfth grade join together to complete fun challenges and share school spirit. A big thank you goes out to our transportation department for transporting students to the Student Activity Center at Butler High School for this special assembly. The assembly will be held in the morning, and students will be transported back to their buildings before lunch. Friday, October 11 - Homecoming Football Game vs Sidney Court Celebration 6:40 pm Kickoff at 7:00 pm Saturday, October 12 - Homecoming Dance for BHS Students ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Introducing....AVIE! ​ We are so excited to introduce you to Avie the Aviator! With a very special thanks to Kelly Stevens and our Athletic Boosters, Avie has a fresh new look while maintaining all of our school's traditions and history. His parachute backpack is a replica of his original parachute backpack. You'll also notice not only the most current logo on the front, but Avie also wears our past logos on his sleeves. Last but not least, Avie sports his aviation wings. As our graduates know, all students who graduate from BHS earn their wings on graduation day, and Avie has earned them, too! Be sure to tag #AvietheAviator in your pictures as you meet Avie during homecoming week! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Community Open House ​ Our community is invited to attend an open house evening for three of our schools; Helke, Demmitt, and Smith. Many improvements have been made to welcome our students in the new grade level alignments, with the most significant changes at Helke and Smith. We welcome all who would like to tour some or all three of the buildings. Open House Date: October 28, 2024 Each building will be open for the following forty-five minute durations: Helke - 4:30-5:15pm Demmitt - 5:00-5:45pm Smith - 5:30-6:15pm ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Under the Dome ​ Our monthly show at the Smith Intermediate School's planetarium kicks off on Saturday, October 12. Join Mr. Oldfield for his family-friendly show that explores the night sky. When: October 12 (the second Saturday of each month) Time: 7:00pm Location: Smith Intermediate School 3625 Little York Road Dayton, OH 45414 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ParentSquare ​ The District will communicate information, including any weather-related delay or closure notifications, to families through ParentSquare. It is important to keep contact information updated. To make any email/phone number changes, please contact your child's school. TIPS: Download the ParentSquare app through your mobile device's app store. Sync the ParentSquare calendar directly to your phone! The District and each building has ParentSquare calendars. While in the app, click "EVENTS" at the bottom to access our calendar of events. Don't want to sync all events? Click on a specific calendar entry and select "Add to my device's calendar". Adjust your notification settings - You may change how and when you receive notifications (email/text/app). For a quick tutorial, click here. Joining Groups Here is a quick tutorial to join/leave public groups in ParentSquare. District ParentSquare Contact: Mary Stephens, PR & Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com 937-415-6409 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Board Briefs ​ ​ ​ ​ The Board of Education met for a regular business meeting on September 24. To view the agenda, click here. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Superintendent Update ​ Superintendent Rob O'Leary and Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers presented the annual State of the Schools. This presentation is a reflection on last school year and a look ahead to this current school year. Highlights included our Class of 2024's record-breaking scholarship earnings, and the district's balanced budget with positive carryover. The presentation is on our website, www.vbcsd.com, located under "Our District". You can also view it by clicking here. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ High School Happenings ​ Shelby and Louden presented High School Happenings. Each month, students are invited to represent their school and share updates about events and highlights from student perspectives. Louden and Shelby shared about the following: Upcoming drama production; Deadline Student Congress: Involvement Fair, Pep Rally, blood drive, and Homecoming; Passport to Paris Athletic highlights - golf and tennis tournament play Band and color guard received 1st place in their first competition ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Meeting Summary ​ Treasurer/CFO: August 2024 Financial Report FY2024-2025 Certificate of Estimated Resources and Permanent Appropriations. Personnel: Personnel Consent Agenda Board Activity: Updated Board of Education Schedule No action taken - first reading of new/revised board policies. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Mark Your Calendars ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar events are also listed on our website. Visit our district calendar hub here. October 10: Homecoming Parade and Powderpuff October 11: District Pep Rally | Homecoming Game October 12: Under the Dome; Smith Planetarium @ 7pm | Homecoming Dance October 16: District 2 Hour Early Release October 24: End of 1st Grading Period October 25: No School for Students/Report Day for Staff October 28: Community Open House (Helke, Demmitt, Smith) | Beginning of 2nd Grading Period ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​ ​ ​ ​ Our Children, Our Community... We are Aviators! ​ 500 S. Dixie Drive Vandalia, OH 45377 937-415-6400 ​ ​

Monday, Oct 07 2024

September District Newsletter

​ ​ District Newsletter September | 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary ​ Welcome back to school! Staff has been back for a very busy and productive week of classroom preparation, curriculum planning, and important professional development, including our annual safety training. We have hosted all of our open houses and activities throughout the district are in full swing! It’s time to start school! We are very excited to have students returning to school on Tuesday, September 3 (after you enjoy the 3-day Labor Day weekend, of course). We hope you are excited, too. This is another historical year for us, as we start off in the new building configuration with full-day Kindergarten for the first time!     This month’s newsletter has a lot of important back to school information, in addition to the communications buildings have been sending. We look forward to a very successful year together. As always, it’s a great time to be an Aviator! God Bless You All! We Are Aviators! Rob O'Leary, Superintendent Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Welcome Back, Aviators! ​ ​ ​ ​ FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ​ September 3 Grades 1-12 September 9 Kindergarten September 10 Preschool Reminder, because the first day of school is on a Tuesday, Butler High School will follow the late start schedule with classes beginning at 8:30am. ​ ​ ​ ​ Transportation ​ Bus route information for students in grades 1-8 is available in Bus View. IMPORTANT: We highly recommend checking Bus View for student bus numbers, pick up and drop off times the night before school starts. As students continue to enroll in our district, times and bus numbers will fluctuate. BUS VIEW Logging in to Bus View: Username = Student ID# Password = Student eight digit birthdate (mmddyyyy) Click here for the Transportation Department on our website. They may be reached by phone at 937-415-6691. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ In Our District ​ ​ ​ ​ Upperclassmen Welcome the Class of 2028 to Butler High School ​ Throughout the district, families and students attended orientations and open houses to learn about expectations, traditions and meet the staff. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Vandalia-Butler Welcomes New Staff Members ​ Join us in welcoming our new staff members to Aviator Nation! Here's to challenging young minds, igniting curiosity and educating our future leaders. Helke/Demmitt: (All first grade) E'Lesha Taylor, Riley Cruse, Taylor Kronenberger, Jenny Sorensen; Gunner Shirk (PE); Nicole Gower (Intervention Specialist) Smith: Abigail Motter (Music); Erin Lukas (Intervention Specialist); Alyssa Ennis (4th Grade) Morton: Christa Wade (Intervention Specialist); Katie Henry (Math & Science); Christy Hines (Intervention Specialist) Butler: Andrew Owen (Aviator Connections); Lauren Robbins (Math); Jennifer Cornell (Family & Consumer Sciences); Jacqueline Sherick (Science); Abigail Southworth (Social Studies); Cailyn Coronado (Spanish); Ashley Fisher (Study Hall/Media Aide) Central Office: Michaela Kirk (HR & Benefits Specialist)  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Staff Opening Day ​ In preparation of the first day of school, Vandalia-Butler staff gathered to officially kick off the new school year on Friday, August 30. Our Marching Aviators helped bring the Aviator spirit by beginning the morning with our Alma Mater, Fight Song and the Hey Song. In true Aviator spirit, we honored these new beginnings with a "Travel" theme! A special thank you to First Light Church for being wonderful hosts and providing a delicious breakfast. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Athletic Department Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ Our student athletes are off to a great start competing and representing VBCSD in fall competitions. Schedules and updates can be found on the athletic department's newly launched website by clicking here, or by going to vbcsd.com and clicking on Athletics. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Student Ticket Sales ​ Football tickets will be for sale during lunchtime at Morton Middle School and Butler High School in the front offices. Discounted presale student tickets are available to all students in the district; however, they must be purchased from Morton or Butler during lunch. Football student presale ticket price: $5.00 Football tickets purchased at the gate: $9.00 Important Reminder: All elementary students must be accompanied by an adult at athletic events. Backpacks and balls are prohibited from being brought into VBCSD athletic facilities. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ParentSquare Updates ​ ​ ​ ​ The District will communicate information, including any weather-related delay or closure notifications, to families through ParentSquare. It is important to keep contact information updated. To make any email/phone number changes, please contact your child's school. TIPS: Download the ParentSquare app through your mobile device's app store. Sync the ParentSquare calendar directly to your phone! The District and each building has ParentSquare calendars. While in the app, click "EVENTS" at the bottom to access our calendar of events. Don't want to sync all events? Click on a specific calendar entry and select "Add to my device's calendar". Adjust your notification settings - You may change how and when you receive notifications (email/text/app). For a quick tutorial, click here. District ParentSquare Contact: Mary Stephens, PR & Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com 937-415-6409 ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Aviator Spirit Wear ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ We are Aviators! ​ Our district has an online spirit wear store through our athletics department. Orders are shipped directly to your doorstep. The majority of items have multiple designs available. After clicking on the item, click on "View More Designs" and select your favorite artwork. The store can also be filtered by sport if you are looking for a specific team sport. CLICK HERE for the spirit wear store. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Board Briefs ​ ​ ​ ​ The Board of Education met for a regular business meeting on August 20. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Superintendent Update ​ Superintendent O'Leary provided an update as the district prepares to welcome students back to the buildings. Projects are being completed on time. Additional Board Actions: Approval of Media Collection Approval of Personnel Consent Agenda Transportation routes approved, as presented ​ ​ ​ ​ Treasurer/CFO Update ​ Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers provided department updates; however, there were no action items under his report. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Mark Your Calendars ​ ​ ​ ​ September 3 | First Day of School for Grades 1-12 September 3 | Board of Education Work Session; 5:30pm @ Board of Education Office September 6 | Military Recognition at the Home Football Game September 9 | Kindergarten Open House and First Day for Kindergarten Students September 10 | First Day for Preschool Students September 16 | Preschool Open House September 17 | Regular Board of Education Meeting & State of the Schools Presentation; 5:30pm @ Butler Lecture Hall September 18 | 2-Hour Early Release ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​ ​ ​ ​ 500 S. Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH | 45377 ​ 937-415-6400 ​ ​

Saturday, Aug 31 2024

August District Newsletter

​​ District Newsletter August 2024 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary ​ As we are now just a few short weeks away from the first days of school, we look forward to getting this school year started. We have accomplished a lot this summer in preparing buildings for the new building configuration. While there are still some projects left to finish at Helke and Smith, the two buildings with the most changes this summer, the last thing from our timeline and checklist is transportation routes.    Typically, we do not post routes until a few days before the start of school because routes can change on a daily basis due to changes in enrollment; students are being enrolled and withdrawn and both impact bus routes. However, since we are opening in a new configuration this year, I have asked our transportation staff to open up the routing information earlier than we typically do. We are doing this to give parents a ballpark idea of what to expect when students will be picked up and dropped off each day. Starting August 23 routing information will be open for parents to view. Please understand these times will change daily, most likely, as we deal with enrollment changes.    However, since we are in the new configuration and don’t have a basis of what to expect from the previous year, we want to give parents this information so you have an estimate of what routing will look like. Also, keep in mind these times will not be solidified until a few days before school, which is when we would typically share this information with you. Starting August 23, please check the information daily to keep up with the changes.   This month’s newsletter contains important information about the upcoming school year. Continue to enjoy the few weeks left of summer. We look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming weeks! God Bless You All! We Are Aviators! Rob O'Leary, Superintendent Vandalia-Butler City Schools ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Welcome Back, Aviators! ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ We hope you have had a wonderful summer, and we look forward to welcoming our Aviators back to school! Below you will find important back to school information. Information is also available on our website's home page under "News and Announcements". Building Websites Butler | Morton | Smith | Demmitt | Helke ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ​ September 3 Grades 1-12 September 9 Kindergarten September 10 Preschool ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​​ District Open Houses ​ August 27, 2024 Butler: 5:30-7:00 p.m. Morton: 5:00-6:30 p.m. Smith: 4:30-6:00 p.m. Demmitt: 5:00-6:30 p.m. Transportation: 4:40-6:30 p.m. September 9, 2024 Kindergarten Open House: 7:45-8:30 a.m. September 16, 2024 Preschool Open House: AM Session - 5:00-5:45 p.m. PM Session - 6:00-6:45 p.m. ​​ ​​ School Orientation Dates ​ Butler August 26 6-7 p.m. | Freshman parent meeting August 27 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Freshman orientation (students only) Morton August 23 8:30-10:30 a.m. | 6th Grade parent and student orientation Smith August 21 6-7:30 p.m. | 3rd Grade orientation August 22 6-7:30 p.m. | 4th Grade orientation Helke August 21 & 22 August 21 from 9-10 a.m. OR August 22 from 6-7 p.m. | Kindergarten orientation ​​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Transportation Updates ​ Bus route information for students in grades 1-8 will be available in Bus View beginning August 23. IMPORTANT: We highly recommend checking Bus View for student bus numbers, pick up and drop off times the night before school starts. As students continue to enroll in our district, times and bus numbers will fluctuate. BUS VIEW Logging in to Bus View: Username = Student ID# Password = Student eight digit birthdate without slashes (mmddyyyy) Beginning the week of August 19, bus drivers will begin doing test drives of their routes to prepare for the first day of school. During the district open house night on August 27, stop by the bus garage located behind Morton Middle School to meet our transportation team! Our transportation open house will be from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Click here for the Transportation Department. ​​ ​ ​​ Annual Consent Forms & Schedules ​ Annual updates and consent forms are now available in Power School. Please login to your account and complete the agreements as soon as possible. For Morton and Butler students, the agreements must be complete before Chromebook distribution. Schedules will be viewable in Power School for grades 1-12 beginning August 19. Kindergarten and preschool families will be notified of their teachers on September 6 after the screening process. ​​ ​​ Supply Lists ​ Morton | Smith | Demmitt | Demmitt INU | Helke | Helke INU Preschool students should bring a backpack large enough to hold a 9x11.5" folder. High School students should bring a pen/pencil, paper, and folder. Supply lists will be provided at the start of the school year and will be specific to the classes students are enrolled in. ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Districtwide Safety Training ​​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Districtwide Staff Training Notice ​ Wednesday, August 28 Location: Smith Intermediate School Thursday, August 29 Location: Butler High School Staff at Vandalia-Butler City Schools will be participating in districtwide safety training sessions on August 28-29 from approximately 8am - 1pm. Members of Vandalia and Butler Township Police and fire will be assisting with the drills. Please DO NOT BE ALARMED if you see police and/or fire presence at Smith and Butler on those days. They are scheduled to assist for training purposes only. ​​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ParentSquare Updates ​​ ​​ The District will communicate information, including any weather-related delay or closure notifications, to families through ParentSquare. It is important to keep contact information updated. To make any email/phone number changes, please contact your child's school. TIPS: Download the ParentSquare app through your mobile device's app store. Sync the ParentSquare calendar directly to your phone! The District and each building has ParentSquare calendars. While in the app, click "EVENTS" at the bottom to access our calendar of events. Don't want to sync all events? Click on a specific calendar entry and select "Add to my device's calendar". Adjust your notification settings - You may change how and when you receive notifications (email/text/app). For a quick tutorial, click here. District ParentSquare Contact: Mary Stephens, PR & Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com 937-415-6409 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Aviator Spirit Wear ​​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ We are Aviators! ​ Our district has an online spirit wear store through our athletics department. Orders are shipped directly to your doorstep. The majority of items have multiple designs available. After clicking on the item, click on "View More Designs" and select your favorite artwork. The store can also be filtered by sport if you are looking for a specific team sport. CLICK HERE for the spirit wear store. ​​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Reconfiguration Timeline ​​ ​​ RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE: Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT: First and Second Grades SMITH: Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises. Because of that, this timeline is subject to change. The information is also available on our website: www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. ✅ While we won’t have transportation routing information until late August, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break. The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more.   April - May ✅ Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. ✅ Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. ✅ New staff teams begin planning for transition. ✅ Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). ​​ ​​ June - July ✅ Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. ✅ Modular delivery/installation (in process). August ✅ August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. The Board of Education decided they will not be on the ballot this November. Open Houses - August 27, 2024 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Board Briefs ​​ ​​ The Board of Education met for a work session on August 5 and a special meeting on August 9. ​​ ​ ​​ Superintendent Update ​ Aviator Achievement Awards were presented to the Class of 2024 Valedictorian Emma Pruszynski and Salutatorians Nolan Baker and Natalie Schoenherr. Superintendent O'Leary provided an update on the reconfiguration project status and back to school updates. ​​ ​​ Treasurer/CFO Update ​ Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers provided the district's financial report and noted that the auditors have completed their on-site work and will resume the audit process off-site. Additional Board Actions: Personnel Consent Agenda Student Services Contracts ​​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ Aviator Achievement Awards ​ Congratulations to the Class of 2024 Valedictorian Emma and Salutatorians Nolan and Natalie for earning Aviator Achievement Awards. ​​ ​​ ​ American Legion Donates to Special Education Department ​ Representatives from the American Legion Post 668 attended the Board meeting to present a donation for our special education department. The District and our local Legion is partnering with Bailey Bug, LLC. for a special project for our students. ​​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Mark Your Calendars ​​ ​​ August 20 | Regular Board of Education Meeting; 5:30pm @ Board of Education Office August 27 | District Open House for Butler, Morton, Smith, Demmitt, and Transportation September 3 | First Day of School for Grades 1-12 September 3 | Board of Education Work Session; 5:30pm @ Board of Education Office September 9 | Kindergarten Open House and First Day for Kindergarten Students September 10 | First Day for Preschool Students September 16 | Preschool Open House September 17 | Regular Board of Education Meeting & State of the Schools Presentation; 5:30pm @ Butler Lecture Hall September 18 | 2-Hour Early Release ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​Vandalia-Butler City Schools​​ ​​ 500 S. Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH | 45377 ​ 937-415-6400 ​​

Saturday, Aug 17 2024

July District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | July 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary July always tends to be a quieter month as there is little student activity in the District, and we spend this time getting operational work completed to be ready for August. With the two extra weeks in the summer as part of the new calendar change, it is giving us much more time to get buildings and grounds ready, especially considering all of the moves with the reconfiguration. My prayer is that our families are also enjoying and benefitting from this extra time together, relaxing, learning new hobbies and enjoying summer pastimes.    I also hope the extra time this summer will find parents ready to send their students back to school, students ready to come back, and teachers ready and prepared to educate our students. I believe this will be true. When we used to start mid-August, it always felt too early to return and took us a bit of time to give up summer. The move to this calendar will help us all, and the week our staff has before students arrive will ensure our preparedness.    This year is somewhat of a new beginning for our school district. In addition to the calendar change, we are implementing a new building and grade level configuration for students from preschool through fifth grade. We are implementing full day kindergarten. We have put a lot of work into these changes and ultimately believe our academic program will be even stronger in the long run with these changes. We are excited about this new beginning!   This month’s newsletter contains important information about the upcoming school year. Continue to enjoy the summer weeks ahead. Enjoy the rest of July! God Bless You All!  We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. ✅ While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more.   April - May ✅ Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. ✅ Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. ✅ New staff teams begin planning for transition. ✅ Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July ✅ Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. ✅ Modular delivery/installation (in process). August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. The district will not be on the ballot this November. Click Here  for Previous Communications. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Back to School Information We centralized all back-to-school information in a single location on our district website.  From here, you can access supply lists and important dates.  Individual school information is also available on each building's webpage by hovering over the "For Families" tab and clicking on "2024-2025 School Year Information".  They are also linked here: Butler | Morton | Smith | Demmitt | Helke School Calendars The calendar for the 2024-2025 school year was approved by the Board of Education earlier this school year.  Additionally, draft calendars for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 were approved on June 3.  All calendars may be viewed and/or downloaded by visiting our website .  The District wall calendar featuring Aviator artists will be mailed at the end of July.  If you do not receive one by August 9, we will have limited  copies available at the Board of Education office. Important Back to School Dates: Tuesday, September 3 : First Day of School for Grades 1-12 Monday, September 9 : First Day of School for Kindergarten Tuesday, September 10 : First Day of School for Preschool 2024-2025 Open House Dates Mark your calendars for our new school year open houses! Tuesday, August 27 Butler High School (grades 9-12): 5:30-7:00 p.m. Morton Middle School (grades 6-8): 5:00-6:30 p.m. Smith Intermediate School (grades 3-5): 4:30-6:00 p.m. Demmitt Elementary School (grades 1-2): 5:00-6:30 p.m. Monday, September 9 *Helke Early Learning Center (kindergarten only): 7:45-8:30 a.m. *Note, this is also the first day of school for kindergarten.   Monday, September 16 AM Preschool: 5:00-5:45 p.m. PM Preschool: 6:00-6:45 p.m. Transportation Our transportation department is hard at work creating routes for the new school year.  With the new grade level configurations, we realize how important it is to communicate transportation information early so that families can prepare for the new school year.  With that, we want to provide information in a timely manner, but also provide accurate information.  We will share pick up and drop off times in late August.   A couple of notes about transportation: 1 . We plan for every student in grades k-8 who is eligible for transportation.  If a student does not ride the bus, times will be slightly different.   2 . As our district receives new enrollments, bus pick up and drop off times may change. The two weeks leading up to the start of school is a heavy enrollment time.   3 . Bus drivers return in late August.  At that time, they complete trial runs of their routes.  After this trial is when we are able to provide the most accurate pick up and drop off times for our families.  Families should plan to check the website regularly leading up to the start of school. B.A.S.E. Updates B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Experience) is a program offering before and after school childcare for families of VBCSD. The district will be offering morning and afternoon B.A.S.E. childcare for the 2024-2025 school year.  ALL programming will be located at Helke Early Learning Center .  Students attending in the morning will be received at Helke and then bussed to their respective schools, and students attending in the afternoon will be bussed from their respective schools to Helke where they will be pick up by their parent/guardian.  Registrations are still being accepted on a first come, first served basis even though the original deadline of May 31 has passed.  Please CLICK HERE for 2024-2025 BASE Information and CLICK HERE for the registration/survey.   Aviator Spirit Wear Our district has an online spirit wear store through our athletics department.  Orders are shipped directly to your doorstep. The majority of items have multiple designs available.  After clicking on the item, click on "View More Designs" and select your favorite artwork. The store can also be filtered by sport if you are looking for a specific team sport.   CLICK HERE for the spirit wear store. PARENTSQUARE UPDATES Our annual grade level rollover happened on June 17.  New enrollment accounts were activated, and current students advanced to their respective grade levels/buildings.   Please check your accounts and groups closely to make sure your student information is correct, and that you continue to see any students whom you should be connected to. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: Mary Stephens, PR/Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com IN THE NEWS BOARD BRIEFS The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education held a regular meeting on June 24 , a special meeting on June 24 , a special meeting on June 28 , and a special meeting on July 10 .  Click on each date to view the meeting agendas. June 24 Regular Meeting Highlights Superintendent's Report: Superintendent O'Leary provided updates on the reconfiguration project and noted that things are progressing well.  Athletic Director Jordan Shumaker presented updates on the new OHSAA divisional realignments.  Beginning this 2024-2025 school year, Butler's division will change to  division III in volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. Treasurer's Report:   CFO/Treasurer Eric Beavers presented the May financial report , the financial consent agenda, the final fiscal year 2024 certificate of estimated resources and appropriations , the initial  2025 fiscal year appropriations , and the CFO/Treasurer's personnel consent agenda. Approved Meeting Minutes June 3, 2024 (Approved during the June 24 regular meeting); The remaining meeting minutes are on the agenda for approval at the July 16 meeting. WHERE DO I FIND....? Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Albums MARK YOUR CALENDARS 8.5.24 | Board of Education Work Session; 5:30 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 8.20.24 | Regular Board of Education Meeting; 5:30 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 8.27.24  | District Open Houses Butler High School: 5:30-7:00 p.m. Morton Middle School: 5:00-6:30 p.m. Smith Intermediate School: 4:30-6:00 p.m. Demmitt Elementary School: 5:00-6:30 p.m.  9.3.24  | First Day of School Grades 1-12 9.9.24  | First Day of Kindergarten Helke Early Learning Center: Kindergarten meet the teacher and open house: 7:45-8:30 a.m. 9.10.24 | First Day of Preschool 9.16.24 | Preschool Open House - AM Preschool: 5:00-5:45 p.m. or PM Preschool: 6:00-6:45 p.m. Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Friday, Jul 19 2024

June District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | June 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary It’s summertime! I hope everyone’s summer is off to a relaxing, fun and enjoyable start! The 2023-2024 school year was certainly challenging, but despite all the challenges, I have several pieces of good news to share.   First, congratulations to our Class of 2024! This was a very high achieving class which has left a lasting impression in our District. The class graduated 237 students and earned $12,954,701 in scholarship dollars. The following is a quick glimpse of what the class will be doing post high school:   Work Force – 17% College – 71% Military – 7% Other (gap year, no plan etc.) – 5% Second, I am happy to share that the Board does not anticipate the need for going on the ballot to request tax funds for the next couple of years.  The 5-year forecast presented by Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers, which was approved at the May 21 Board of Education meeting ( linked here ), shows a better financial position for the District due to the over $3 million in cost-saving measures during the 2023-2024 school year and the 2024-2025 school year, as well as the additional funds from the revenue sharing agreement with the City of Vandalia.   A few additional items I want you to be aware of…the draft calendars for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 were approved at the June 3 Board meeting.  The calendar for next school year and the draft calendars for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 can be found on our website  (linked here ) for your planning purposes.   Last but not least, the  handbooks for the 2024-2025 school year were also approved at the June 3 Board of Education meeting. If you have paid attention to national and state news lately, you know there has been a lot of attention on implementing cell phone policies in schools that drastically limit or prohibit the use of cell phones during school hours. This is largely because of new research that is showing the negative effects of cell phone usage on students' mental health.  Governor DeWine recently signed into law House Bill 250, which requires every school district in Ohio to establish an official policy governing cell phone usage during school hours. It includes exceptions for students who need a cell phone to monitor health concerns, such as for diabetes. Currently, all our buildings, except for the high school, prohibit cell phone usage during the school day.  For the 2024-2025 school year, as is reflected in the handbooks, cell phones will be prohibited during the day at Butler High School as well.  Over the summer months, Mr. Williamson will give updates and guidance in his weekly bulletins that are sent to parents about this new policy.    Thank you to our parents and students for your patience this school year in working through so much.  I also want to thank all our staff for all of the work put into this school year.  In particular, a very special thank you to those retiring from the District; we thank you for your many, many years of dedicated service.    I hope you have a safe, fun, relaxing summer spent with your families, friends, and loved ones. I hope you make many great memories together.  We will see you back in school the Tuesday after Labor Day to start off a new chapter and school year.  God Bless You All!  We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. ✅ While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more.   April - May ✅ Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. ✅ Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. ✅ New staff teams begin planning for transition. ✅ Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July ✅ Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. ✅ Modular delivery/installation (in process). August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. Previous Communications: November 17, 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message November 21, 2023 Update To view the slides presented at the November 21 Board of Education meeting pertaining to the reconfiguration, click here . December 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message January 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message February 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message To view the slides presented at the February 12 special Board of Education meeting pertaining to the modular unit, click here . February 21 Update March 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message March 28, 2024 Update (Transportation) April 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message April 23, 2024 Update (Calendar) IN OUR DISTRICT Class of 2024 Congratulations to the Butler High School Class of 2024!  This talented group earned a record-breaking nearly $13 million in scholarships.  Along with family, friends, staff members, and community members, 237 students participated in the commencement ceremony on May 20.  Receiving the highest honors were Valedictorian Emma Pruszynski and Co-Salutatorians Nolan Baker and Natalie Schoenherr.  Our Aviators are sure to soar!  For graduation candid photos, visit our website photo gallery here . Memorial Program Butler High School hosted the 45th annual Memorial Program honoring fifteen men and one woman from the Vandalia-Butler community who lost their lives while serving our country. 2023-2024 Retirees Congratulations to the 2023-2024 Vandalia-Butler City School District retirees.  Together, the district's retirees total nearly 350 years of combined service.  Thank you for your service to Vandalia-Butler City Schools! Katherine Baker | Todd Baker | Lisa Craft | Lis-Beth Dahlinghaus | William Danley | Sheila Dean | Therese Garision | Richard Noble | Carolyn North | Anthony Sheffield | Cynthia Snyder | Casandra Trick | Kevin Wilson IMPORTANT INFORMATION School Calendars The 2024-2025 school year calendar was approved by the Board of Education earlier this school year.  Additionally, draft calendars for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 were approved on June 3.  All calendars may be viewed and/or downloaded by visiting our website . Important Back to School Dates: Tuesday, September 3 : First Day of School for Grades 1-12 Monday, September 9 : First Day of School for Kindergarten Tuesday, September 10 : First Day of School for Preschool 2024-2025 Open House Dates Mark your calendars for our new school year open house dates and times!   Our buildings will also be hosting orientations, and that   information will be available soon. Tuesday, August 27 Butler High School (grades 9-12): 5:30-7:00 pm Morton Middle School (grades 6-8): 5:00-6:30 pm Smith Intermediate School (grades 3-5): 4:30-6:00 pm Demmitt Elementary School (grades 1-2): 5:00-6:30 pm Monday, September 9 Helke Early Learning Center (kindergarten only): 7:45-8:30 am *Note, this is also the first day of school for kindergarten.   Monday, September 16 AM Preschool: 5:00-5:45 pm PM Preschool: 6:00-6:45 pm Transportation Our transportation department is hard at work creating routes for the new school year.  With the new reconfigurations, we realize how important it is to communicate transportation information early so that families can prepare for the new school year.  With that, we want to provide information in a timely manner, but also provide accurate information.  We will share pick up and drop off times in late August.  A couple of notes about transportation: 1 . We plan for every student in grades k-8 who is eligible for transportation.  If a student does not ride the bus, times may be slightly different.   2 . As our district receives new enrollments, bus pick up and drop off times may change. The two weeks leading up to the start of school is a heavy enrollment time.   3 . Bus drivers return in late August.  At that time, they complete trial runs of their routes.  After this trial is when we are able to provide the most accurate pick up and drop off times for our families.  Families should plan to check the website regularly leading up to the start of school. BHS Summer Athletic Camps The BHS Athletics Department is looking forward to hosting future Aviator athletes for a summer full of instruction.  Camps are still open for football (June 8), soccer (July 15-19), and volleyball grades 3-6 (June 10-13) and grades 7-8 (July 29-31).  For more information and for instructions on how register, CLICK HERE .  2024-2025 KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT Enrollment for FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN  is open.  With the district's reconfiguration of Demmitt, Helke and Smith, ALL kindergarten classes will be at Helke beginning next school year.  Current VBCSD preschool students who will be transitioning to kindergarten next school year do not need to re-enroll.   B.A.S.E. Updates B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Experience) is a program offering before and after school childcare for families of VBCSD. The district will be offering morning and afternoon B.A.S.E. childcare for the 2024-2025 school year.  ALL programming will be located at Helke Early Learning Center .  Students attending in the morning will be received at Helke and then bussed to their respective schools, and students attending in the afternoon will be bussed from their respective schools to Helke where they will be picked up by their parent/guardian.  Registrations are still being accepted on a first come, first served basis even though the original deadline of May 31 has passed.  Please CLICK HERE for 2024-2025 BASE Information and CLICK HERE for the registration/survey.   PARENT SQUARE UPDATES Our annual grade level rollover will be occurring the week of June 17.  When this happens, the Class of 2024 graduates will be removed, new enrollment accounts will become active, and students will be advancing grade levels and/or buildings, if applicable.  Please check your accounts and groups closely to make sure your student information is correct, and that you continue to see any students whom you should be connected to. This will be the last district newsletter sent to families of the Class of 2024.  If you would like to stay connected and continue to receive our monthly district newsletters, please join our community group.  Registering is easy!   Click here to join. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: Mary Stephens, PR/Communications Coordinator mary.stephens@vbcsd.com IN THE NEWS BOARD BRIEFS The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education held a regular meeting on May 21 and a work session on June 3.  To view the agenda and approved consent items, click here (May 21) and click here (June 3). Superintendent's Report Superintendent O'Leary and the Board of Education recognized thirteen staff members retiring from Vandalia-Butler City Schools with a  proclamation and thanked them for their service. The 2023 Business Partner Award was presented to Warehouse 4 with grateful appreciation for their continued support of Vandalia-Butler City Schools! Jordan Shumaker was awarded an Aviator Achievement Award for earning several accolades from the Southwest Ohio Athletic Directors' Association including Athletic Director of the Year, the Meritorious Service Award, and the Award of Merit. Scott Oldfield was recognized with an Aviator Achievement Award for his dedication to preparing our students, families and community for the Eclipse and for hosting monthly planetarium shows throughout the school year. Treasurer/CFO Report Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers presented the five-year forecast .  Congratulations to the treasurer's department for receiving the Auditor of State Award with Distinction! Business Partner Award and Aviator Achievement Awards: WHERE DO I FIND....? Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Album MARK YOUR CALENDARS 6.24.24 |  Regular Board of Education Meeting; 12:00 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 6.24.24 |  Special Board of Education Meeting; 2:00 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 7.16.24 | Regular Board of Education Meeting; 5:30 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 8.5.24 | Board of Education Work Session; 5:30 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 8.20.24 | Regular Board of Education Meeting; 5:30 p.m. @ Board of Education Office 8.27.24  | District Open Houses Butler High School: 5:30-7:00 p.m. Morton Middle School: 5:00-6:30 p.m. Smith Intermediate School: 4:30-6:00 p.m. Demmitt Elementary School: 5:00-6:30 p.m.  Orientation dates and times will follow. 9.3.24  | First Day of School Grades 1-12 9.9.24  | First Day of School Helke Early Learning Center Helke Early Learning Center: Kindergarten meet the teacher and open house: 7:45-8:30 a.m. 9.10.24 | First Day of Preschool 9.16.24 | Preschool Open House - AM Preschool: 5:00-5:45 p.m. or PM Preschool: 6:00-6:45 p.m. Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Friday, Jun 07 2024

May District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | May 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary Welcome to May and the last few weeks of the 2023-2024 school year!  This month’s newsletter has important information about the close out of this school year, as well as information for next school year.   As a follow up to my last update about the 2024-2025 school year calendar, I am now able to provide information about the start and end times for each school building next school year.  First, I want to thank you again for your patience as we continue to work through these changes.  It is important that we limit and minimize unintended negative consequences with these changes, and verify the times work from a transportation and logistics standpoint. With that said, the following lists the school start and end times for each building, as well as the earliest allowable drop off times for each building. As we are checking off the final items from our reconfiguration timeline and checklist we have shared with you each month, with start and end times now established, we will now survey parents in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade to gauge interest in our BASE (before and after school childcare) program.  If you have childcare needs before and/or after school next year, please fill out the survey so we can determine where there is enough participation to support a program. Information about this survey is found in this newsletter below.    As we approach the end of the school year, I am truly grateful for the patience and support of our community, parents, students, and staff as we have worked through so much together! God Bless You All!  We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. ✅ While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more.   April - May ✅ Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. ✅ Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. New staff teams begin planning for transition. Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. Modular delivery/installation. August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. Previous Communications: November 17, 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message November 21, 2023 Update To view the slides presented at the November 21 Board of Education meeting pertaining to the reconfiguration, click here . December 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message January 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message February 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message To view the slides presented at the February 12 special Board of Education meeting pertaining to the modular unit, click here . February 21 Update March 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message March 28, 2024 Update (Transportation) April 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message April 23, 2024 Update (Calendar) IN OUR DISTRICT IMPORTANT INFORMATION 2024-2025 B.A.S.E. Interest Survey B.A.S.E. (Before and After School Experience) is a program offering before and after school childcare for families. To gauge the interest for the 2024-2025 school year, we are asking families to complete this survey.  The feedback received will help the district determine if the program can be supported.  Over the summer, based on survey feedback, we will determine if we have enough students to offer before and/or after school care, which building(s) will provide the program and the staffing levels required.  Please CLICK HERE for 2024-2025 BASE Information and CLICK HERE for the registration/survey.   BHS Summer Athletic Camps The BHS Athletics Department is looking forward to hosting future Aviator athletes for a summer full of instruction.  Camps will be offered for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball.  For more information and for instructions on how register, CLICK HERE .  2024-2025 KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT Enrollment for FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN is now open.  With the district's reconfiguration of Demmitt, Helke and Smith, ALL kindergarten classes will be at Helke beginning next school year.  Current VBCSD preschool students who will be transitioning to kindergarten next school year do not need to re-enroll.   Additional details such as the hours of the school day, start/end times, transportation zones, etc. will be communicated in coordination with the district's reconfiguration timeline. iWise Living Presentation  PARENTS!!! - Thank you to all who attended iWise Living on April 29 presented by Cheryl Mahoney.  This eye opening presentation equipped parents with effective strategies to support healthy uses of internet-connected electronic devices using the FOUR PRINCIPLES of iWISE Living: Be Aware, Protect, Prepare, Respond.  CLICK HERE for 22 iWise strategies that will help make a positive difference in monitoring and protecting against potential risks associated with internet connected devices. BOARD BRIEFS The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education held a regular meeting on April 16.  To view the agenda, click here . Superintendent's Report Middle School Happenings highlighted Morton's Project Lead the Way program and High School Happenings highlighted the spring musical, Beauty and the Beast. Several Aviator Achievement awards were presented to students and staff for accomplishments in art and winter athletics. Superintendent O'Leary discussed the end of the year calendar and the need for additional staff time to prepare  for the upcoming reconfiguration transitions.  The BOE approved to change the last day of school to May 17 for grades K-8 and keep May 22 for grades 9-12 so high school students can complete exams. Treasurer/CFO Report Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers reviewed the March financial reports and the BOE approved several action items listed below. The following action items were approved by the Board of Education: Treasurer's Department: 2024-069 Approval of Treasurer/CFO Consent Agenda Instruction: 2024-070 Approval of Media Collection | 2024-071 Approval of Payment for Supervision of Student Observers/Student Teachers Personnel: 2024-072 Approval of the Personnel Consent Agenda Items . Board Activity: The BOE proclaimed May 6-10 Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week | Adoption of Revised and New Board Policies. Middle School Happenings, High School Happenings and Aviator Achievement Recipients: WHERE DO I FIND....? Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Album MARK YOUR CALENDARS 5.6-5.10 | Staff Appreciation Week 5.6 | Special Board of Education Meeting 5:30pm @ Board Office 5.11  | Under the Dome (Last presentation of the school year) 5.17 | Last Day of School Grades K-8 | BHS Memorial Program 1:30pm @ SAC 5.20  | Graduation 7pm @ SAC 5.21 | Board of Education Meeting 5:30pm @ Board Office 5.22 | Last Day of School Grades 9-12 Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Friday, May 03 2024

April District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | April 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary As we head into the last month and a half of school, I want to follow up on important calendar items. Following up on the March newsletter and the update I sent you after the March board meeting, we took time to discuss options for the modifications. I will be seeking approval for the end of this school year’s calendar at the upcoming April 16 meeting. The Board asked me to review options and come back with the best option that accomplishes the work that needs to be done.  The following options were reviewed:   Option 1 (original option) Friday, May 17- Last day for students PS-8 Monday May 20- staff meetings for new configuration Tuesday May 21- staff meetings for new configuration Wednesday May 22 - packing day Thursday May 23 - report day   Option 2 Monday May 20- early release PS-8; staff meetings for new configuration  Tuesday May 21- early release PS-8; staff meetings for new configuration Tuesday May 21 - Last day for students PS-8  Wednesday May 22 - AM staff meetings for new configuration / PM - packing Thursday May 23 - report day   Option 3 Monday May 20- last day for students PS-8 Tuesday May 21- staff meetings for new configuration Wednesday May 22 - AM staff meetings for new configuration / PM - packing Thursday May 23 - report day   In discussing this with staff and administration, I plan to recommend to the Board to approve Option 1 making the last day of school for students PS-8  Friday, May 17 . The high school students' last day will be Wednesday, May 22 as originally planned. The reason for this is because we need to be able to do this work without students while the staff is still on contract time.  While we are having some planning discussions now, our focus is still on finishing the end of this great school year. Yet, there is a lot of work to be done logistically (we have almost 30 staff members moving, we are moving entire grade levels to different buildings, etc.) and programmatically (class lists for the elementaries, schedules, grading alignment, curriculum alignment, etc.). The bulk of this work cannot wait until we come back next year.    I will be recommending this to the Board on Tuesday, April 16 at the regularly scheduled business meeting that will begin at 5:30 PM at the Board Office.     2024-2025 School Calendar Update: As you know we have been tasked to explore a Labor Day to Memorial Day school calendar for cost saving purposes. I have explained that this is a negotiable item and there is not much I can share until that process is finished.  The only update I can give you right now is that we are finishing up the work on the school calendar for 2024-2025 and I expect to be able to share the draft 2024-2025 calendar before the end of April.  I will most certainly send updates through Parent Square as soon as more information is available. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes you. Last but not least, I hope everyone enjoyed the amazing solar eclipse event Monday, April 8. The feedback we received from having that scheduled day off has been very positive - many families spent quality time together enjoying this rare opportunity! God Bless You All!  We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. ✅ While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more.   April - May Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. New staff teams begin planning for transition. Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. Modular delivery/installation. August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. Previous Communications: November 17, 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message November 21, 2023 Update To view the slides presented at the November 21 Board of Education meeting pertaining to the reconfiguration, click here . December 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message January 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message February 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message To view the slides presented at the February 12 special Board of Education meeting pertaining to the modular unit, click here . February 21 Update March 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message March 28, 2024 Update (Transportation) IN OUR DISTRICT We enjoyed the excitement leading up to the eclipse and the total solar eclipse on April 8.  Thank you to Titan Graphics for donating solar eclipse glasses for our entire district!    KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT Enrollment for FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN will begin APRIL 22, 2024 .  With the district's reconfiguration of Demmitt, Helke and Smith, ALL kindergarten classes will be at Helke beginning next school year.  Current VBCSD preschool students who will be transitioning to kindergarten next school year do not need to re-enroll.   Additional details such as the hours of the school day, start/end times, transportation zones, etc. will be communicated in coordination with the district's reconfiguration timeline. BHS Spring Musical: Beauty and the Beast The Butler High School Drama and Music Departments are presenting Beauty and the Beast from April 26-28.  Tickets are $12 per seat and are available online or at the door on the night of the show.  For online tickets,  click here .   On Friday, April 26, the BHS Interact and Vandalia Rotary Clubs are hosting a pre-show dinner from 5:30-7pm in the BHS cafeteria.  Each pasta dinner is $12 and tickets are available at the BHS main office until April 19.  *S how tickets are sold separate . Performances: April 26 & 27 at 7pm; April 28 at 3pm Location: BHS Performing Arts Theater April 29, 2024 | iWise Living Presentation | 6pm @ BHS Performing Arts Theater PARENTS!!! - Plan to join us on Monday, April 29 for a presentation by Cheryl Mahoney, owner of iWise, LLC to discover the many issues children face in the virtual world and how to help them navigate.  Learn effective strategies to support healthy uses of internet-connected electronic devices using the FOUR PRINCIPLES of iWISE Living: Be Aware, Protect, Prepare, Respond.  This eye-opening presentation is approximately 90 minutes. Childcare will be provided by our BHS National Honor Society/Octagon Club members. IN THE NEWS BOARD BRIEFS The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education held a regular meeting on March 19 and hosted BHS students for Youth in Government Day.  To view the agenda, click here . Superintendent's Report High School Happenings highlighted arts and athletic accomplishments, upcoming events, and the Creative Arts Club. Mr. John Sexton/American Legion Post 668 and our BHS Multi Media Production Class were recognized with Aviator Achievement Awards. Discussion was held about possible changes to the end of this school year's calendar.  The board did not take any action; however, they did ask Superintendent O'Leary to gather additional information to present at the April 16 board meeting. Treasurer/CFO Report Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers reviewed financial reports and noted that the closing date for the modular lease is March 20. Action Items: Treasurer's Department: 2024-043 Treasurer/CFO Consent Agenda | 2024-044 Approval of Tax Rates and amounts resolution. Instruction: Visions Grant Media Collection for use at Demmitt, Helke, Smith and Morton | 2024-046 Approval of Payment for Supervision of Student Observers/Student Teachers. Personnel: 2024-047 Approval of Personnel Consent Agenda | 2024-048 Approval of Summer Maintenance Compensation | 2024-049 Modification to Substitute Maintenance Compensation. Operations: 2024-050 Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Competitive Electric Service. Student Services: 2024-051 Vandalia-Butler Preschool Parent Handbook 2024-2025 and Preschool Tuition/Fees | 2024-052 Approval of Out of State Trip (8th Grade Class to Washington, D.C. November 12-15). Board Activity: New/Revised Board Policies - First Reading; No Action Necessary | 2024-053-2024-060 Resolutions Pursuant to R.C. 5715.19. Youth in Government Students and Aviator Achievement Recipients: IMPORTANT LINKS Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Albums MARK YOUR CALENDARS 4.13 | Under the Dome; 7pm @ Smith Planetarium 4.16 | Board of Education Meeting; 5:30pm @ Board of Education Office 4.17 | 2-Hour Early Release 4.26-4.28  | Spring Musical: Beauty and the Beast  5.6-5.10 | Staff Appreciation Week Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Friday, Apr 12 2024

March District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | March 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary Welcome to March! This month’s newsletter contains important reminders for families, as well as updates on the reconfiguration. As we enter March, conclude the third grading period, and begin the 4th grading period on Monday, March 11, let’s resolve to work together on a great end to this school year.   Planning continues to move along for the reconfiguration. The following are the most recently completed items on the timeline: We notified all certified staff in PS-5th grade of their assignments for the 2024-2025 school year on Friday, March 8. This will be helpful as we move forward and continue planning for the reconfiguration next school year, especially with full day Kindergarten beginning next school year. With the approval of the 8-classroom modular unit and discussions with staff, we have decided third grade will be in the modular unit at Smith. The following items are also being discussed: At the last several board meetings we shared that we were potentially looking at making a modification to the school calendar at the end of this school year  to help give time for staff to meet in their new building/grade level teams, plan schedules and class lists, move, etc. That said, I plan to recommend to the Board of Education that we move the last day of school for students in PS-8th grade from May 22 to Friday, May 17.   We plan to keep the High School end date of May 22 the same to not disrupt their end of the year and keep intact the final exam schedule. While Morton is not as affected in the reconfiguration, there is a lot of work that staff will do during those days. We chose to include them in the end date of May 17 to help families who have students in middle school and elementary to be on the same schedule, especially where the middle schoolers could potentially help watch younger siblings. High schoolers will be on shortened days due to the final exam schedules as they do each year.  I plan to recommend this to the Board at the March 19 Board of Education meeting which is also our Youth in Government meeting. The meeting will begin at 8:30 AM.  We will soon post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility for 2024-2025 prior to spring break. Last, but not least, as we close the door on the third grading period and head into the fourth and final grading period, let’s all resolve to work together to end this school year on a positive note.  This time of the year becomes challenging because we all get cabin fever from the winter months. It seems that tensions and disputes happen this time of year, every year, because of that. I was made aware at our labor management meeting this week that we have had multiple instances in several buildings with staff getting yelled at and cursed at in phone conversations, in meetings, and in direct messages from ParentSquare.  Please understand that I have instructed staff that we all must handle ourselves professionally, but if they are yelled at or cursed at and they can’t deescalate the conversation, then they need to politely end the conversation, offer to come back to meet, and problem solve the situations when things cool down and conversations can be productive.  I appreciate your attention to this matter and expect you will handle situations politely and professionally as well. We all have a common goal - the success of your student(s).   A few more weeks to spring break, and then the race to the end of the year is on. Here’s to a great March and some longer days with warmer weather!  God Bless You All!  We are Aviators! Rob O'Leary Superintendent RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January ✅ Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. ✅ Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. ✅ Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. February - March ✅ Enter into modular lease agreement in February. ✅ Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly (example photos shared in modular unit presentation). ✅ Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. ✅ Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more. April - May Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. New staff teams begin planning for transition. Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. Modular delivery/installation. August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. Previous Communications: November 17, 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message November 21, 2023 Update To view the slides presented at the November 21 Board of Education meeting pertaining to the reconfiguration, click here . December 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message January 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message February 2024 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message To view the slides presented at the February 12 special Board of Education meeting pertaining to the modular unit, click here . February 21 Update IN OUR DISTRICT VBCSD Alum and News Anchor Nathan Edwards Visited Students at Helke. PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT Preschool and kindergarten enrollment is coming up soon!  Information is available on our  website .  Below are additional details and links: PRESCHOOL enrollment is scheduled APRIL 3, 2024 beginning at 8am .  There will be one enrollment date; however, students ages 4+ will be prioritized and all remaining places will go to students ages 3+ in order of time stamp.  Preschool enrollment is online and fills up quickly.   CLICK HERE for additional preschool enrollment instructions.   The enrollment link will become active at 8am on the morning of enrollment.  Please note, all preschool classes will be located at Helke next school year. Enrollment for FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN will begin APRIL 22, 2024 .  With the district's reconfiguration of Demmitt, Helke and Smith, ALL kindergarten classes will be at Helke beginning next school year.   Additional details such as the hours of the school day, start/end times, transportation zones, etc. will be communicated in coordination with the district's reconfiguration timeline. Eclipse Information Our area is situated along the path of totality for the upcoming eclipse on April 8.  The last total solar eclipse visible from Ohio was in 1806!  If you would like to learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse, join us for our monthly series Under the Dome with Mr. Scott Oldfield.  There is one more show on March 9 before the eclipse.  The free family-friendly series is held at 7pm on the second Saturday of each month at the Smith planetarium. Reminder - There is no school on April 8.  This date was planned with the original school calendar that was board-approved in March, 2023. Month of the Military Child April is the Month of the Military Child, and to celebrate, students and staff are invited to participate in our annual Purple Up! spirit week from Tuesday, April 9 through Friday, April 12.  This year, April 15 officially kicks off Ohio Military Family Spirit Week; however, because several of our schools have state testing during that week, we are holding our spirit week early.   IN THE NEWS BOARD BRIEFS The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education held a special meeting on February 12 and a regular meeting on February 20. February 12 Meeting: The Board met in special session for a presentation about the modular unit proposal and other reconfiguration topics.  Discussion was permitted throughout the presentation between attendees, board members, and presenters Superintendent Rob O'Leary, Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers, HR Director Russ Garman, and Director of Operations Marcus O'Brien.  The presentation included information about the purchase of the modular unit, financing and payment terms and the full potential cost-savings from the reconfiguration plan.  The district plans to purchase the modular unit for Smith over three years, and the reconfiguration plan will save the district approximately $6.1 million over five years starting next school year.  These savings are in addition to the $2 million cost-savings reductions made this 2023-2024 school year.  Discussion topics included modular financing, parking, modular maintenance and warranty terms, safety and security, football equipment storage relocation, and middle school football practice locations.  There was also open discussion about the potential for implementing a full-day kindergarten program.  No action was taken at this special meeting. February 20 Meeting:   The Board met for its regular meeting.  Below is a brief summary of the meeting.  To view the agenda, click here . Superintendent's Report Students from Morton and Butler presented Happenings and shared classroom, extracurricular and athletic highlights along with upcoming school events. Two students were recognized with Aviator Achievements for their accomplishments at a recent dance competition. Superintendent O'Leary presented the list of Butler High School December graduates.  Treasurer/CFO Report Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers reviewed financial reports and noted December and January expenses were on target as projected.  Treasurer/CFO Beavers also informed the board that property tax collections are down. The Following Action Items were Approved by the Board of Education: Superintendent: Recommendation to implement a full day kindergarten program for the '24-25 school year.   Treasurer/CFO: Request to amend the certificate of estimated resources and/or appropriations for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Instruction: Two media collection lists, instructional materials, and administration of the Ohio third grade State Test in English language arts and math to be given in paper format for the '24-25 school year. Personnel: Personnel consent agenda.   Operations: Sales agreement with EMOD for the purchase of an 8-classroom modular unit with restrooms as presented, at a cost of $1,257,141. The Board further authorizes the Treasurer/CFO, Superintendent and Board President to sign any and all necessary paperwork along with finalizing a municipal lease for financing with Huntington Bank, to be approved at a later date and ordering title work if necessary. Board Activity: Correction to the MVCTC Board representative term, correction to Board minutes, dated September 25, 2023, Resolution 2023-169. Butler and Morton Happenings and Aviator Achievement Recipients: IMPORTANT LINKS Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Albums MARK YOUR CALENDARS 3.8.23  | Professional Development Day; No School for Students 3.9.24 | Under the Dome; 7pm @ Smith Planetarium 3.12.24 | Special Board of Education Meeting ; 12:00pm @ Board of Education Office 3.19.24  | Board of Education Meeting; 8:30am @ Board of Education Office (Youth in Government Day) 3.20.24 | 2-Hour Early Release 3.25.24 - 3.29.24 | Spring Break 4.8.24 | Eclipse | No School Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Saturday, Mar 09 2024

January District Newsletter

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER | JANUARY 2024 A Message from Superintendent Rob O'Leary Happy New Year! I hope all of our families had a blessed Christmas and holiday season with family and loved ones. It is hard to believe it is 2024!  This month’s newsletter contains important reminders for families, as well as updates on the reconfiguration. I intend to give updates each month on the reconfiguration plan and on the timeline posted in the December newsletter. I will continue to list the timeline each month, as well as links back to the previous newsletters and slides from the November 21st board presentation for reference.  In keeping with the timeline, I want to give you a few updates. First, the following are the administrative assignments pertaining to Helke, Demmitt, and Smith: Helke - Principal Brian Tregoning Demmitt - Principal Garry Martin Smith - Principal Ryan Rogers Shalyn Leighner will continue her role as Special Education Supervisor. She will no longer be the Preschool Supervisor as Mr. Tregoning will absorb those duties as building principal. However, she will be coordinating special education services for Preschool through grade 5 for this upcoming school year.  The next update is on the modular unit: We have made several site visits to survey existing modulars by 2 of the potential providers. We have discarded the high bidder. The products were very similar in quality but varied in construction and finishes. We continue to review both specification submittals for verification of differences.     Over the break we engaged with the modular provider that we used for the high school project in 2010. We will soon receive a proposal from them to add for consideration and will hope to put eyes on this soon. Payment options and/or financing will be determined by the end of January. God Bless You All! Vandalia-Butler Strong!  We are Aviators! RECONFIGURATION UPDATES The reconfiguration plan consists of: HELKE : Preschool and Kindergarten DEMMITT : First and Second Grades SMITH : Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades Tentative Timeline We will update this information from month to month as new information arises.  Because of that, this timeline is subject to change.  The information is also available on our website:  www.vbcsd.com/reconfiguration December - January Planning Meetings with preschool through fifth grade staff and administrators and K-5 specials staff, and traveling staff. Information Gathering – Modular Unit Exploration. Administrative responsibilities for reconfiguration decided. Enter into modular lease agreement at the end of January. February - March Rendering of Smith modular unit shared publicly. Staffing placement decisions (the goal is for decisions to be made and staff notified prior to spring break) Curriculum meetings and discussion planning for reconfiguration. Decision on which grade level will be in the modular unit at Smith made prior to spring break. While we won’t have transportation routing information, we will be able to post eligible/non-eligible transportation zones for each building in the reconfiguration, so parents have advanced notice of transportation eligibility prior to spring break . The district will continue to provide transportation services to all K-8 students living at a one-mile radius or more. April - May Release 2024-2025 school start/end times. Initial interest survey of parents for BASE offerings in 2024-2025. New staff teams begin planning for transition. Student-focused reconfiguration transition events (building tours, etc.). June - July Moving and preparing buildings for reconfiguration. Modular delivery/installation. August Open Houses August 7, 2024 - Deadline for Board of Education to make necessary resolutions in order to be included on the November ballot. Previous Communications: November 17, 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message November 21, 2023 Update To view the slides presented at the November 21 Board of Education meeting pertaining to the reconfiguration, click here . December 2023 Newsletter - Superintendent's Message IN OUR DISTRICT Butler High School students had the opportunity to take part in the U.S. Army's Mission Support Battalion Mobile Exhibit Company Army Aviation Asset.  The semi-trailer is outfitted with multiple flight simulators and the crew travels across the country to share this unique learning opportunity with students. Military and Purple Star Student Appreciation Night On Friday, January 19, join us as we honor members of the military, past and present, and recognize Purple Star students in both our district and Fairborn City Schools' district.  The Purple Star student recognition will take place during halftime of the boys' varsity game. What does it mean to be a Purple Star District? The important service our military families provide is genuinely appreciated by our school district and community. We recognize that transitioning in and out of schools is a challenging experience for the parents and students. We strive to be a military family-friendly school district and embrace the relationships we create with students in all of our school buildings. School Board Appreciation Month January is School Board Appreciation Month.  Thank you to our Board of Education for their service, leadership and dedication to our district!  During the January 4 school board meeting, the board was recognized for their commitment to Vandalia-Butler City Schools. Scott Fullam | Holly Herbst | Mary Kilsheimer | Daniel Pierron | Rodney Washburn Quality Profile The Quality Profile provides a comprehensive overview of our district.  It includes accountability measures beyond the state's report card that define the high quality, well-rounded public education our students receive.  To view a digital copy of the 2022-2023 school year Quality Profile, click here .  A limited number of copies will be available soon at each of our school buildings and the Board of Education office. IN THE NEWS BOARD BRIEFS The Board of Education met January 4, 2024 for its organizational and regular board meetings.  The Oath of Office was administered to re-elected board members Mr. Rodney Washburn and Ms. Mary Kilsheimer.  Additionally, nominations were accepted and the Board approved Ms. Holly Herbst as Board President and Mr. Rodney Washburn as Board Vice-President.  Board meeting dates were established for the 2024 calendar year and can be found here (they are also uploaded to the district ParentSquare and website calendars).  To view the complete Organizational Meeting Agenda,  click here . The regular Board of Education meeting immediately followed.  To view the full agenda, click here . Superintendent's Report January is Board Appreciation Month, and Superintendent O'Leary recognized the VBCSD Board of Education for their service and leadership. With gratitude, the district accepted a donation from the Lion's Club for planetarium updates.   An update on administrative roles for the reconfiguration was provided.  Details are outlined in Superintendent O'Leary's January newsletter message above.  Treasurer's Report Treasurer/CFO Eric Beavers provided the financial report for November 2023. The 2023 audit of the district is complete and has been submitted to the state for final review.  The Treasurer's Department also submitted financial reports to the Government Finance Officer's Association for consideration of the Excellence in Government Finance award. Aviator Achievements Superintendent O'Leary recognized the following students and staff members with Aviator Achievements:  Aela Shumaker - Winner of the Montgomery County Environmental calendar contest. Mr. Jeff Mesko - Quick response in assisting a student with a medical emergency. Mrs. Jennifer Jette' - Butler High School Peer Tutor program. Butler High School Peer Tutors: Gavin Burress, Ava Cyphers, Elloise Fisher, Amethyst Fogle, Sophia Grillot, Lily Kerr, Madilyn Lucas, Lilliana Miller, Gabriella Tallman, Kareena Vandervort, Karenza Vandervort, Sydney Wolpert Additional Action Items Approval of two new courses to be added to the 2024-2025 Course Study Program for Butler High School: Chemistry in the Community and Spanish 4. Approval of payment to an employee for the supervision of student observers/student teachers. Funds were provided by Mount Vernon Nazarene for the professional services provided by the teacher. Approval of the Personnel Consent Agenda , including three retirements. WHERE DO I FIND...? Below are several important website links to help you find information quickly and easily: Reconfiguration Updates (Demmitt/Helke/Smith) Board-Approved School Year Calendar All-School Calendar Hub Calamity Day Letter | Delay Schedule Breakfast and Lunch Menus Transportation Board of Education Information | Board Docs (Agendas/Minutes/Policies/Financial Reports, etc.) Photo Albums MARK YOUR CALENDARS 1.13.24 | Under the Dome; 7pm @ Smith Planetarium 1.15.24 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | No School 1.19.24 | Military Appreciation Night; Varsity Basketball Game @ SAC 1.24.24 | 2-Hour Early Release Vandalia-Butler City Schools 500 South Dixie Drive | Vandalia, OH 45377 | 415-6400

Thursday, Jan 11 2024